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10 Tips for Preparing Your Home to Sell

9 Nov
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Deciding to sell your home during a pandemic while in the middle of an election year when it’s a sellers market and there’s very low inventory and also during the “off-season” is not always the best decision one can make.  LOL… But we did it!  And because we choose the most stressful time possible to try to sell a home, I wanted to share how we made the process a little smoother when it came to getting our home sold.  Here’s are 10 tips for preparing your home to sell!

OUR HOME TOUR

Please note.  Moving is stressful.  There’s no way around that no matter what time of year you do it.  So, just be prepared.

CLEAN

As a looking buyer, I was amazed at how many houses we went into that were not CLEAN.  I would have been embarrassed by some if they were my house, but to each their own.  However, an unkempt home can turn buyers off.  Not only does it make it seem like you haven’t cared for the home, but it’s just not appealing.  So clean up as much as possible and make it all sparkle.  Make it sparkle for your photos too.  Do it yourself, or plan on having it cleaned professionally once before photos and once before you go live on the market so it’s nice and tidy for showings.

DECLUTTER

Don’t be afraid to let go of things.  This is the perfect time to go through closets and drawers.  Declutter as much as possible.  It’s not a bad idea if you have a lot you want to keep to looking into getting a storage unit for a short period of time.  We boxed up things we could live without for a while but didn’t quite want to let go of yet and sent them over to storage.

ANNUAL INSPECTIONS TO CONSIDER

CONSIDER SMELLS

I don’t know about you but walking into a house that doesn’t smell fresh and clean isn’t something that gives me good vibes.  I can’t get over some smells.  So maybe consider investing in lots of Lysol and room sprays or a great diffuser that you can put in some really appealing smells.  I prefer the Anthropologie Volcano smell, because it smells like fresh, citrus, homey to me but some prefer Vanilla or whatever.  Just make sure you don’t cook salmon or bacon the day before you are going to have showings.

PAINT

While you don’t want to invest a ton of money if you don’t have to, paint will give the home a nice fresh new look.  If preparing your home to sell, consider repainting some rooms!  Consider having your entire downstairs painted a nice neutral color to give the home a newer feel which is what buyers want.

ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSETS

Seems silly, but if a closet is organized and looks great, people will love it!  Messy spaces don’t help to sell houses.  Clean it up.  Plus, if it looks like there’s lots of room that’s even better!  Buyers are always looking for loads of storage!  This is another place to move things to storage if you need to.  Create the illusion that you haven’t had your closet filled to the brim for the last few years by removing anything unnecessary.  Channel your own Home Edit.

TACKLE YOUR TO-DO LIST

If you had a list of small things you were hoping to get to, these little updates could make all the difference!  We did a walk through the house and noted what all we figured we HAD to do and also things we had WANTED to do.  In the end tackle all the things and even a few wants because any buyer (whoever it ended up being) will appreciate or notice those things. You might need to repaint your sideboards, for example, especially if they are looking worn and discolored.  Or you might need to bring in a professional for help with maintenance issues, such as a HVAC company if your AC is in need of repair. When you have tackled such things around your home, the buyer will have fewer reasons to not consider your property.

POWER WASH

This can really go a long way.  Obviously if you are selling mid-winter, maybe not a good idea, but we did this in the fall and it actually made our porch area look almost brand new!  Not only does it clean your house up, but it gives it a bright and fresh look too!  Here’s one similar to the one we used and this is one easy thing that can get overlooked when preparing your home to sell, but don’t forget the small things!

 

EDIT FURNITURE

I don’t have have ton of extra furniture laying around or randomly sitting in rooms, but make sure each room has a purpose and that it’s easy to walk through.  Also, consider rearranging your furniture so it’s inviting to buyers and they can see themselves sitting there.  I noticed after our showings that we had one chair that someone pulled out to sit in each time.  It was kind of funny how the same chair was sat in, but I’m hoping that made them feel comfortable.  We ended up selling in 2 days so something worked.  And if one of your favorite spots has furniture that looks dingy or old, consider pulling it out for showings.

CURB APPEAL

We have pretty minimal and easy to take care of landscaping but you’d be surprised how far a few bags of mulch will go in making your house stand out on the block!  If you are preparing your home to sell, take a moment to trim the bushes, add mulch or even just mow and rake. One of the other ways that you can get your home’s curb appeal levels up is to revamp the garden. Consider setting it into zones, with dog turf in one area to make it friendly for your pup, and even a climbing frame area for the kids. You can put down a patio, too, and show off a more low maintenance area in the garden. You can ensure that your home looks good enough to buy with the simple addition of color, and the right turf will help you here. Again, make your house look like it’s been well maintained and you’ll reap the rewards!

DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE GARAGE

If you are like us, your garage plays a few roles.  But people understand that… And people know you are moving… Don’t get too caught up in the messy garage.  Try to make it presentable, but if it’s full of moving boxes and stuff you’ve just pulled from the house, don’t worry about it!  They aren’t buying your house for the garage and they know what a garage looks like!

So there you have it.  Those are my top 10 tips to prepare your house for sale and market!  It doesn’t have to be overly overwhelming but it is a lot of work!  Unless you are a minimalist in which case, it might be much easier for you!  But either way, I hope you found these tips helpful and good luck with preparing your home to sell and your move!

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Categories:
2020, Blog, Organization, Our Home
Tags:
organization, our home, selling your house

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A little about me…

Hey There! I'm Abby. Some people started calling me "Little Miss Martha" a few years back and this blog followed. I started it to share my DIY wedding progress, but it's now evolved to include other good things. Read More…

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Abby || Lifestyle Blogger
This year I wanted to create a fun tablescape for This year I wanted to create a fun tablescape for Easter, and while I love bunnies, I thought a carrot theme would be fun to try!  Everything on this tablescape was 🥕carrot-fully 🤪 selected for its color or carrot looks! 

What’s your favorite thing?! I loved using the fresh carrots 🥕around the flowers 🌷and the carrot paper plates! 

And I reused a lot of things too!  Old plates for the place settings, Christmas greenery fills out the middle, and orange tapers I had on hand helped!  You don’t have to buy new all the time!  Most times I’m using things I have on hand from other holidays or previous years!  I created the carrot bunting with help of my @cricut but you can easily cut carrots out of felt by hand if you don’t have a cricut! Then we made some homemade carrot cookies with cookie cutters I found at @target and a carrot cake! The Bunny Bait Easter tablescape  came together pretty easy and I love the brightness of it all!  And we won’t even be around for Easter to use but if you come by, you will still see it all sitting on my table!  hahah. 
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#eastertablescape #eastertable #carrots🥕 #carrotsandflowers #carrotdecor #easterdecoration #springdecor #tablescapes #tablescapestyling #tablesettings #holidaydecorations
When Ella came downstairs on Friday she asked wher When Ella came downstairs on Friday she asked where all the green was and why there were no leprechaun traps…Apparently she has St Patrick’s Day expectations. I blame myself. I’m usually more into it…
So about 11am I kicked it into gear and headed to @partycity for a little help!  Thankfully they had these green pots for $5 and grass for $1!  Plus, green candy and gold coins!  And Olive found the surprise at the end of the rainbow when she came home! 
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#greensuprise #greengoodies #greencandy #everythinggreen #luckoftheirish #potofgold #potofgreen #stpatricksdaybasket #stpaddysday #stpatricksday🍀 #leprechaunloot #shamrocks #irishmusic #endoftherainbow #makingmagic
There’s still time to share St Paddy’s Day Ins There’s still time to share St Paddy’s Day Inspo so here i go and you can do it tomorrow or save it for next year!  Here’s a quick and easy St. Patrick’s Breakfast-scape as Olive called! 

Make your own green waffles and surround them with green fruit, your favorite waffle toppings, green m&ms and of course, lucky charms! 

Easily@recreatable!  Like I said, celebrate tomorrow or save for next year!  Happy St Patrick’s Day! 
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#breakfastfood #breakfastfordinner #stpatricksday #stpatricksdayfood #tablescape #rainbows #greenfood #greenfoods #stpaddysday  #luckoftheirish #topofthemorning #breakfastboard #yumyumyum
This week the plan was to share a few last minute This week the plan was to share a few last minute St. Paddy’s Day ideas for you!  But i’m coming to realize nothing I plan happens these days 🤣 So, with one day left and plenty of time to get to the store, here are three breakfast ideas that’ll make some magic for those little nuggets in your home! 

(1) Rainbow Donuts - Grab your favorite plain cake donuts, some white icing, and fruity pebbles. Cut the do the donuts in half, dip in the icing and go to town adding the fruity pebbles in rainbow style!  Your kids will love this one! (swipe for more)
(2) Golden Coin Donuts - Same(ish) thing. You’ll need a cake donut, chocolate icing, and  gold sprinkles. Dip into the icing, then the sprinkles and you have gold for your pots of gold!
(3) Clover Cinnamon rolls. 

Do you plan on making something special for tomorrow?!
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#stpaddysday #stpatricksday #greenbreakfast #rainbowdonuts #goldcoins #clovercinnamonrolls #clovers #leprechauntrap #greenfortheday #leprechaunbreakfast
This is your reminder that a visit to @childrensmu This is your reminder that a visit to @childrensmuseum is always a good idea!  We recently visited @childrensmuseum with some cousins and, as usual, I saw things I’d never seen before!  Big crowd pleasers we’re the outfit design area of the #POPexhibit, retro video games on the top floor and if you visit now, you can visit the #minecraftexhibit! 
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#childrensmuseum #visitindy #familyfun #childrensmuseums #attcm #aroundindy #playallday #makememoriestogether
Anyone else {almost} always waiting on their {firs Anyone else {almost} always waiting on their {first} husband to get out the door?!? 🙋🏻‍♀️. We are heading to IKEA for a dresser for Ella and another part of a small project!  What are your Friday plans?
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#waitingonhusband #almostalways #fridayselfie #wishinghopingpraying #letsgochamp #firstwivesclub #happyfriday #loveandmarriage #myfirsthusband
On this International Womens Day, we celebrated by On this International Womens Day, we celebrated by reading from one of our favorite books!  Do you have this one?!? One page stories about rebel girls… It’s super inspiring and my kids love it! 
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#inspiringwomen #rebelgal #rebelgirls #raisestrongwomen #raisinggirls #momofdaughters #internationalwomensday
Happy International Women’s Day! You are strong Happy International Women’s Day!  You are strong. You are beautiful. You deserve great things!  Take a moment for yourself today - make a cup of tea, go for a walk, or if you are like me, watch for eagles out the back window! ✨ You are magical! ✨
@inspiringwomenfh 
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#internationalwomensday2022 #womenrock #inspiringwomenfh #womenmaketheworldgoround #inspireothersbybeingyou #takesomemetime #taketimeforyou #sponsored
While I should really be sharing about styling for While I should really be sharing about styling for St. Patrick's Day, Spring, & Easter, instead I'm going to take a minute to brag on these little girls of ours...
 
We got the sweetest voicemail from Olive's teacher that was a total proud parent moment.  Her class has gotten a new little girl who doesn't speak any English and somehow Olive communicates just fine with her, makes sure she has someone to play with at recess and has basically taken the new little girl under her wing.  Her teacher was sending kudos to Olls for just "being the kindest kiddo" which is what we all want to hear about our kids, right?! She also thanked us for all we are doing to have made her that way and let's be honest, I have no clue what that is, but I'll take it! 

And Ella... Ella!  She's been rocking her “new” schedule.  In the last couple months, we've realized busier is better for her and so going from not much of anything to 3 busy nights a week, which one this week included lots of squats and major quad soreness, she's done with no complaints!  Minus for her sore quads... She's been taking on new activities and challenges with style and we are so proud of her for being so mature and committed! 

Ok, so proud momma moment over. I don’t do this often, but felt this one was worth a share!  And seriously... It's been a good week for them and I love watching them grow and take on whatever life throws at them.  Do you have any proud momma moments to share from this week?! 
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#justmykids #proudmommamoment #justbekind #mybeautifuldaughters #ellaandolive #changeisgoodforthesoul #kellermeyerchronicles #soproudofyou #loveyousomuch❤️
Happy Saturday! Do you ever feel like you’ve go Happy Saturday!  Do you ever feel like you’ve gotten to the end of the week and done nothing for yourself?! That’s me. This is basically every week anymore – clean, cook, get steps in, take care of kids, drive here, drive there, etc. 

Where does all the time go!? Seriously, before Covid, I would do 10,000 things AND take the girls to and fro non-stop AND drive home every weekend sometimes… basically I was doing sooo much more, maybe too much!  But now, I feel like I can’t keep up.  I can’t find a groove where I can still do all the things for my family AND myself.  Were we really doing too much?  It didn’t feel like it in the moment. Yes, there were exhausting days, but somehow, they were usually fulfilling.  Or maybe I’m dreaming?  Now, most days just feel like groundhog day. 

But at the beginning of the year I set goals and I’m still working towards them.  Health & Wellness goals, home goals, family goals and more.  I am working to keep my WHY in mind and find my daily inspiration. I just hope that I can find a groove where even if I don’t complete all the goals, at least I feel like I’ve made progress on them.  And I hope that throughout this super weird, busy, boring, what feels like an uneventful time in my life, I can find fulfillment in it and stay motivated. 

Working to stay inspired can be the hardest part!  So long post short, if you’ve read this far, I’m sorry I haven’t been sharing as much.  I’m working on it and things to share but finding time to sit down and actually give you something enjoyable has been the hardest part lately!  Stick along as I’m sure things will continue to be shared in an untimely fashion! 
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@inspiringwomenfh 
#inspired #neverenoughtime #selfcare #franciscanhealth #inspiringwomenfh #howdowedoit #canthaveitall #busydays #momlifeishard #justkeepgoing #findyourinspiration #rememberyourwhy
Taking in my Friday like yea! Lunch with friends, Taking in my Friday like yea!  Lunch with friends, etsy listings, sewing, and more - all with snow flurries outside!  What are you up to today?!
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#friyayvibes #fridayishere #enjoyyourday #youtime #weekendvibes✌️ #itscoldagain #indianaweather #iputmakeupon
How did you celebrate Valentine’s day?! I set up How did you celebrate Valentine’s day?! I set up a quick little Valentine’s Day table for the girls and a quick and sweet activity!  I grabbed some peach rings and gummie lifesavers for the girls to add to some strips of fabric I had laying around!  A pretty simple setup but a nice suprise for them! 

Other than that, cut felt hearts for the place settings, added small heart boxes under conversation hearts, and used vintage floral tea plates for the necklaces!  The runner was found at @homegoods and was the basis for the whole setup!
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#valentinesday2023 #valentinetable #valentinestablescape #kidstable #funforthekids #valentineactivities #candynecklace #sweethearts #conversationhearts #heartdecor #happyvalentinesday❤️ #loveyday
Yesterday was Ella’s birthday celebration with f Yesterday was Ella’s birthday celebration with friends!  It was a great time and while it was to be considered small with just a couple friends and no decorations, I told her there would be a tablescape!  More details on the blog soon, but here’s a quick recap of our little homemade (minus bowling alley) “Let’s Ro11” birthday party! 

🎉Happy Birthday Ells!🎉

Cake topper: @avalonsunshine 
Vintage Bag: Thrifted
Cookies: Me (not perfect, first try at cookies!)
Printables: Me
Cake: Meijer with my addition of chocolate covered donut holes 
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#letsroll #eleventhbirthday #turning11 #birthdaytable #bowlingparty #birthdayideas #tweengirl #tweenparty #tweenbirthday #happiestbirthday #februaryfun #februarybirthdays #bohobowling #birthdaypartydecor #birthdaypartyideas
Taking time for ourselves can be REALLY HARD. The Taking time for ourselves can be REALLY HARD.  The other night I was ready to go upstairs and read my book…the one I’ve been working on forever… and noticed the basket(s) of laundry needing folded so I decided to do that instead of taking a moment for myself.  By the time I was done, I was so tired that I just went to bed.  So LAST night I decided not to skimp on the “me” time and knew I needed to get out of the house and enjoy some laughs with the neighborhood girls!  It was good for the soul!

I have a hard time doing things for myself.  I feel like I’m being selfish.  But it’s not selfish to take care of yourself!  It’s NECESSARY!  You can’t take care of others if you aren’t taking care of yourself. I’m really loving my weekly emails from @inspiringwomenfh and how they are a reminder that I need to take a moment for myself!  So do something for yourself today.  Take a walk around the block, unless you live in Indiana, I suggest you stay inside because the winds are CRAY!  Read a book on your lunch break, take a nap with your kids, or maybe even listen to a podcast or practice 10 min of mediation!

If you haven’t already, check out inspiringwomen.org for some awesome inspiration, motivation and great resources for overall health and wellness.  There are also some GREAT recipes!  The program is free and you will even get their bi-annual inspiring magazine!  It’s just the right amount of inspiration that your week could use! 
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#inspiringwomenfh #inspiringwomen #sponsored #takecareofyourself #taketimeforyou #franciscanhealth #inspirationforwomen #inspirationalwomen #itsnotselfish #dosomethingforyourself #taketimeforyou #findyourinspiration #yougotthismama
Packed up some fun things to make their way to @ch Packed up some fun things to make their way to @chicmercantile this week!  These fairies are soooo excited to make their way into new home and take on new adventures!  Fairies will be available soon in the @adoptafairyco etsy shop too! 
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#fairiesarereal #fairiesofinstagram #fairieslivehere #magicallife #magicallaround #shopsmall #shoplocal #packingorders #localboutique #adoptafairy #fairyflags
I’ve been trying to produce Valentine’s Day co I’ve been trying to produce Valentine’s Day content for at 2 weeks! I made mood boards, gathered goodies, and can’t find the time to create.  Did I not used to sleep?!? 

Hopefully this week I’ll be able to get something out, but at least for now, I’ve got these decorations going 😆! Swipe to see why I get nothing done 😂🤷🏻‍♀️🤦‍♀️
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#valentinesdaydecor #momlifeunfiltered #valentinesdayiscoming #neverenoughtime #mantledecor #tryingmybest #sleepnomore
Are you a paper planner or digital planner kinda g Are you a paper planner or digital planner kinda gal?  Me?! Paper. All. The. Way.  And yes, I know it’s Tuesday but it’s never to late to fill in your planner for the week!  And it’s even better with these adorable stickers from @jessicaweiblestudios!  They are an added boost to get your to-do lists tackled! .
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#plannerinspiration #plannerstickershop #decorateyourplanner #dailyplanner #setupyourweekright #planyourday #planyourweek #jessicaweiblestudios #studiocat
Happy Friday! Did anyone else think this week fel Happy Friday!  Did anyone else think this week felt like the longest week ever?! 🙋🏻‍♀️ Hoping to pop back in via stories later but my friday is shaping up to include some Valentines prep along with cleaning and shipping some fairies out the door! 

What are you up to this Friday?! 
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#livingroominspiration #fridayplans #valentinesdecor #notaframe #welcometomylivingroom #happyfridayeveryone
Happiest 1️⃣1️⃣th birthday to this Sweet c Happiest 1️⃣1️⃣th birthday to this Sweet child of mine!  Love you to death Ella and I hope you don’t kill me for some of these pics since your last birthday!  It’s amazing how much you have changed and grown in just one year! 💕

Happy Birthday Ella! 
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#happiestbirthday #turning11 #elevenyears #2012baby #onthisdayinhistory #tweengirl #happybirthdaytoyou
When @abigailmackboutique was interested in collab When @abigailmackboutique was interested in collaborating, I knew this print was pretty much perfection in summing up my current life.  So… if you are still here hanging out or new here, welcome to the shitshow!  This piece will probably end up floating around my house, but I do feel like it’s 💯fitting for me.  And with my quirky design sense, I think it also works well in a bathroom but my hubs isn’t keen on that idea 🤣. The other gold foil print I love of #abigailmackdesigns is “Everything is Fine,” because let’s be honest, that’s also something that’s constantly going through my head over here!

I used to feel like weekends were a way to catch up on what you couldn’t get done during the week.  You know… like cleaning, prepping, watching Netflix etc.  Now though, as I get older and older, I’m learning that my weekends are really just an attempt at mentally preparing for all that will go wrong during the upcoming week and continually thinking “Welcome to my Shitshow.” LOL

Does anyone else feel like this?! Maybe this is why I have such high anxiety on Sunday nights…

Print #gifted by @abigailmackboutique 
Check out her other pieces here:
https://abigail-mack.myshopify.com/

#collaboration #welcometotheshitshow #lifeunexpected #lifeisstressful #justrollwithit #laughitoff #weekendscreatestress #momlife #justmomming #goldfoilprints #decoratewithhumor #funnyprints #sillyprints #sarcasm101 #abigailmackboutique #socialcat
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